Bengals take the No. 9 spot in PFT’s power rankings

Posted by Mike Wilkening on July 18, 2014, 4:09 PM EDT

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The Bengals check in at No. 9 in PFT’s preseason power rankings. They are the third AFC North team we’ve profiled, with the Steelers (No. 15) and Browns (No. 22) the others. They are the 12th AFC team we’ve previewed, which leaves them No. 5 among the conference’s clubs entering 2014, per the vote of the PFT staff.

There’s a lot to like about the Bengals. There are far, far worse rosters. On the other hand, the club’s recent lack of postseason success is inescapable. Will the Bengals ever break through?

In some regards, we could have the same discussion about the Bengals’ in-state rivals, the Browns. While Cleveland hasn’t made the playoffs in 12 years, it has stockpiled some good talent.

Which brings us to today’s question.

Let’s suppose you have a chance to become the General Manager of the Bengals or Browns. Your initial contract will run from 2014 through 2019. If either team wins the Super Bowl in these next six seasons, you get a big bonus, and your contract extends another six seasons. However, if your club doesn’t win the Super Bowl, you will be fired, and you will leave Ohio in shame.

Bengals. Very good defense when healthy, and guys such as AJ green and Giovanni Bernard. I’m not that high on Andy Dalton, and while he certainly isn’t championship caliber yet I’d take him over that clown Manziel all day

dmarado says:Jul 18, 2014 4:28 PM

I just don’t think they have the offensive juice to be this high. I would put them in the middle. If the running game gets better and TE play starts happening, they can be dangerous. Of course this all centers on how the Ginger Flinger does throwing the ball. I haven’t been impressed so far.

doctorrustbelt says:Jul 18, 2014 4:31 PM

The general manager issue is moot since the Cincinnati Bengals have NEVER had one and Bengals owner mike brown is too cheap to hire one.

I’ve been rooting for this franchise for 30+ years. While preseason polls mean next to nothing, it is awful nice to be top ten in something besides offseason arrests, worst draft picks, or cheapest owners. Hopefully I will see another playoff win before I die, and break the curse of Bo Jackson. As far as the other Ohio team goes, I’d rather shave my nether regions with a cheese grater than associate myself with that dumpster fire…

It’s about right. Bengals play tough defense and have offensive weapons but that QB has got to take care of the ball.

west458 says:Jul 18, 2014 5:30 PM

“When was the last time they were relevant or won something (a postgame)?” — 2 Division Titles in 2009 and 2013 and 4 playoff appearances in the last 5 years — I take that as relevant and 20 other teams that didn’t make the playoffs would too.

Bengals are a good team. however in order to be taken seriously they need to make some kind of postseason impact. making it to the playoffs simply isn’t good enough in a division that has 5 super bowl appearances and 4 championships since 2000. that being said. it should be another 3 way dog fight for the top with the browns also improving.

Can’t imagine why the Ravens would be ahead of the Bengals or even Steelers for that matter. What did they do in the offseason that would make up for a 3 game differential? And the Steelers were strong in the stretch last year.
Also, I understand Dalton has stunk in the post-season but, other than that he has been a great QB, better than Boomer and Anderson and has done things in his first few years that only a few elite QBs have done in the history of the NFL.

Browns got talent but that will happen picking in the top 5 for the past 12 years. The Browns will never do anything as long as the ownership keeps folding up shop on the front office and coaching staff after every season.

The Bengals have a slow, steady and patient approach. I think it may be a bit too slow, they could be a tad bit more aggressive in free agency. However, they have better players, coaches, and Cincy is a conservative but respectful place, not some armpit of the Midwest.

Bottom line, I would rather have Raggedy Andy as my QB any day of the week over Pee Wee Herman.

The 9 ranking is about right they should be ranked higher than the ravens after winning the division by three games. Everyone wants to rip on Andy and I get that for sure but he is still just coming out of his third season and the D played like crap in that game against the Chargers. This team will be better Everyone is talking about the loss of Zim which sucks but Guenther studied under him for 6 years I’m not worried about him and this offense was a top five offense last year believe it or not and with Hue Jackson he isn’t going to ask Andy to throw it 51 times a game this team will be better than 2013.

It’s easy for the haters to hate on Dalton (mostly fans of other teams he’s beaten, or some loser, butt-hurt Baltimorons). I firmly believe that Dalton’s inconsistancy is directly related to Jon Gruden’s inability to call a decent game! The guy ran away from the run at the slightest sign of a stop and forced a young QB to throw the ball way more than any other team would have or should have. When you look at some of the things that he’s accomplished so early in his career, he ranks right there with Payton Manning, Drew Brees and a few other elite QB’s. Unfortunately, the playoff stat doesn’t lie, but if the rest of the team had showed up in those games, things likely would have been different. I’m curious to see what he can do under Hue Jackson, who’s heads and tails above Gruden, IMO, when it comes to OC’s. Jackson won’t abandon the run like a frightened school girl!

crip2nite says:Jul 22, 2014 3:21 PM

Trust me Bengals fans. When people talk smack or try to troll you down. They are scared!